


Can't Discuss It Much

by writesometimes



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Co-Parenting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, acts of domesticity as flirting, seriously just a lot of fluff really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:08:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27188407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writesometimes/pseuds/writesometimes
Summary: He was so comfortable at Eddie's house, it never seemed odd for him to come home and find Buck there. He would come over to watch Christopher overnight when he could so Carla could go home. He'd come over on his days off to spend time with Eddie and Christopher playing video games, helping clean the hamster's cage, just about anything Christopher wanted or needed to do. He'd even helped out with Christopher's last science project. It made Eddie's heart flutter if he thought about all of it for too long-or-Five times Buck and Eddie seem to be more than friends, and one time they finally act on their feelings.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 30
Kudos: 466





	Can't Discuss It Much

"A whole chore chart? You really think that's necessary?" Buck asked as he bounded up the stairs after Eddie, their shift just starting.  
  
"I do," Eddie said, looking back at Buck as he made it to the loft of the station.  
  
"But he's just a kid, Eddie, he needs time to have fun and play and stuff," Buck countered.  
  
"I know, it's not like I'm going to make him go out and pressure wash the driveway, Buck. I just think it would be good for Christopher to have some responsibilities around the house. Helping load and unload the dishwasher, making sure his dirty clothes go in the hamper, helping unpack the groceries. Just basic stuff." Eddie shrugged as he pulled a carton of orange juice out of the refrigerator.  
  
Hen looked over at Bobby and Chimney where they all sat at the table, her eyes wide and a mischievous smile on her lips. Bobby shook his head and Chim rolled his eyes.   
  
"He's just a little boy though! He can do chores when he's in middle school." Buck all but pouted.  
  
"If he doesn't start doing them now he won't know _how_ to do them when he gets to middle school," Eddie insisted, trying his best not to stare at Buck's lips as the blonde continued to pout at him.  
  
Bobby cleared his throat from the table and both Buck and Eddie looked his way. "You know, Athena and I recently had a similar talk about Harry. How much responsibility he should have around the house and what that should look like. It's good to give kids some responsibilities so they feel like they're maturing and contributing around the house."  
  
Eddie shot Buck a pointed 'told you so' look as he poured himself a glass of orange juice.   
  
"Denny has chores _and_ helps with the baby," Hen said with a smile.  
  
"See, it will be good for Christopher," Eddie reasoned.  
  
"But -- "  
  
"He will still have plenty of time to be a kid and have fun when he's done helping load the dishwasher," Eddie deadpanned. "Besides, he wants to get a hamster and I want him to have some minor responsibilities before I go out and get him a _living animal_."  
  
Buck's face lit up. "He wants a hamster? Oh! We can take him to that little pet shop over by his school!"  
  
Eddie squinted at him as he drank his orange juice.  
  
"What? I saw the place a few times when I went to drop Christopher off at school and went in to check it out. They have bunnies in there! Hamsters too!"  
  
"Oh my god," Hen whispered, laughing quietly. Bobby's shoulders shook as he tried to contain his own laughter.   
  
"Did you take Christopher in there?" Eddie asked, smiling in disbelief.  
  
Buck pursed his lips and looked down at the floor. He stuck his hands in his pockets and wished the bell would ring.  
  
"I was wondering why he started asking for a hamster all of a sudden." Eddie shook his head and set his empty glass in the sink.   
  
"You're lucky he doesn't have six already," Chim called from the table.  
  
Bobby and Hen lost it, erupting into loud laughter.   
  
"Don't give him ideas, Chim," Eddie pleaded.  
  
"Okay, okay," Buck said, raising his hands, "after he gets his chore chart and he's crushing his household responsibilities and everything, can I go with you guys to pick the hamster out?"  
  
"Super important! Buck needs to go see all the tiny animals!" Chim laughed, popping the last bit of his muffin in his mouth.   
  
Eddie sighed and snagged an apple off the counter. "Yes, you can come along and help him pick out a hamster. _After_ he does chores for a while."  
  
"Yes," Buck hissed and pumped his fist by his side.  
  
Eddie rolled his eyes and took a bite of his apple.  
  


* * *

  
The flames had nearly engulfed the entire back of the house by the time Buck found what he had been looking for. The little black and white dog had burrowed himself under an end table in what had once been a family's living room. Buck knelt down and scooped the dog into his arms, cooing reassuring words as he started making his way back through the smoke to the front of the house. He could see daylight coming through the open front door, he was almost out.   
  
"Eddie!" Buck called, thrusting the dog forward as he made it to the entryway of the house.   
  
Eddie took the little dog and patted him on the head before passing him back to Chim and Hen for a quick once-over. He turned around and expected to find Buck bouncing out the front door. Instead there was a loud 'crack' as the wood floor beneath Buck split open.   
  
"Buck, come on!"   
  
Buck froze as he felt one of his feet slip into the crack in the floor. He tried to move, but his foot was lodged in the floor all the way to his ankle. He fought, jerking his leg wildly as he tried to get out of the house. The flames danced through the house, encroaching on Buck where he was stuck in the entryway.   
  
"Buck?" Eddie yelled as smoke began to drift thickly through the front door and it got harder to see Buck.   
  
"My foot!" Buck yelled, still trying to free himself from the floor. "Eddie, I'm stuck! I can't get out! Oh, God, I'm stuck!" His breath came in ragged, wild pants as he tugged harder and harder, trying to free his foot. It was getting hotter and darker as the flames advanced and he could feel his heart thudding in his chest.   
  
Just as he began to feel tears stinging his eyes, strong hands gripped Buck's forearms and pulled him forward. He was pulled once, twice, and then finally he heard the floor creak, his foot slipped out and he was being pulled out of the front door, into the daylight. He was dragged a safe distance away from the house before his mask and helmet were pulled off. Eddie leaned over him, eyes wide, mouth moving but Buck couldn't seem to make out what he was saying.   
  
Hen and Chimney drifted into his vision then and they began checking him out. He couldn't hear anything they were saying but they didn't seem to be too panicked so Buck figured he must not be severely injured. He still couldn't seem to breathe though, even with his gear off and away from the worst of the smoke. Hen was smiling at him, nodding slowly and saying something but he still couldn't hear.  
  
"He's having a panic attack," Hen said seriously as she packed her stethoscope back in her bag.   
  
"Buck?" Chim called, worry in his voice. "Buck come on, it's okay. Breathe buddy."  
  
Eddie stepped in front of Buck and laid his hands on his shoulders. "Buck," he said gently as he knelt down to be eye to eye with the blonde. "Buck. Please, you gotta breathe. Buck." He rubbed Buck's shoulders, trying to do anything to calm him. "Evan," he whispered pleadingly.  
  
Buck snapped his head up and met Eddie's gaze. He took one deep breath, then another. He nodded slowly as Eddie squeezed his shoulders. Buck focused on Eddie's face, his handsome smile and kind, warm eyes. He reached up and cupped one hand around Eddie's neck. "Eddie," he rasped, a smile stretching over his lips.   
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
Buck nodded and took another deep breath. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I just... I started thinking about my leg and being pinned by the truck and I just -- " He lost what he wanted to say in the fresh wave of panic that overtook him, tears falling from his eyes.  
  
Eddie leaned forward and wrapped Buck in a comforting hug, rubbing soothing circles over his back. "It's okay, I got you. I got you. You're out, you're okay. You want to call Maddie?" He was already scrambling, trying to get his cell phone out of his pocket.  
  
Buck shook his head. "No, not like this, she'll just get worried. I'll call her later, when I'm not a mess."  
  
"Okay," Eddie whispered. "You want to stand up?" Buck nodded against his shoulder. Eddie let go of him and leaned back before extending a hand. Buck took it and they stood together. "Your foot feel all right?"  
  
"He's okay. It'll be a little tender for a while but there's no damage," Chim reassured as he began packing away his gear. Hen nodded beside him, packing away her own gear.   
  
Eddie pulled Buck's arm around his shoulders anyway and began leading the way back to the ladder truck.  
  
"Is the dog all right?" Buck called over his shoulder before they got too far away.  
  
"Yes!" Hen and Chim called back, chuckling.  
  
Buck sighed and let his head rest against Eddie's. "Thank you," Buck whispered as he limped along beside Eddie.   
  
Eddie came to a stop beside the truck and slipped Buck's arm from his shoulders. "You shouldn't be alone tonight," he whispered as he leaned Buck back near the door of the truck. "Come over. Have dinner with me and Christopher. You can call Maddie. She can come over too if she wants, check on her little bro."  
  
Buck smiled crookedly at Eddie and nodded. "Yeah, sounds good."  
  
Eddie stepped closer to Buck and wrapped him in another hug, his hand coming up to rest against Buck's neck. "Good," he breathed as his thumb stroked back and fourth across the soft skin of Buck's neck.   
  
Bobby cleared his throat as he came to a stop behind Chim and Hen where they were standing, staring at Buck and Eddie. "Let's get the rest of the gear packed away," he suggested, a hint of amusement in his voice.  
  
Chim and Hen nodded slowly as they continued to stare at Buck and Eddie, wrapped up in one another.  
  
"So, you want to make any wagers?" Chim asked mischievously .  
  
"Oh definitely," Hen laughed.  
  


* * *

  
The sun had just started to set when Eddie finally made it home. His last shift had been exhausting and all he wanted to do was sink into his couch cushions and not move for about six hours. Christopher's jovial laughter reached his ears as he stood out on the porch and gave him a second wind. He threw the front door open with a wide grin, expecting to be ambushed with hugs from his son as soon as he stepped inside. Christopher was nowhere to be seen but Eddie could still hear his laughter in the house. He dropped his duffle bag in the entryway and wandered to the kitchen, where he suspected his son's infectious laughter was coming from.   
  
The last rays of light from the setting sun filtered in through the kitchen window and filled the room with a warm, golden glow. Christopher sat at the kitchen table, a wide, happy grin on his face. Open cereal boxes littered the table top. Buck sat next to Christopher, right arm elbow-deep into a box of cocoa crisps, his smile just as wide as Christopher's. Eddie's heart fluttered in his chest. Seeing Christopher so happy with Buck seemed to have that effect on him lately.  
  
"Has he eaten dinner yet?" Eddie asked, leaning in the archway.   
  
Christopher was out of his chair immediately, making a bee-line for his Dad.  
  
"Hey, kiddo!" Eddie beamed as he scooped his son up in his arms.   
  
Buck's eyes went wide and he pulled his arm out of the box of cereal. "I was just about to start some spaghetti, we just had a couple boxes left." He set the cocoa crisps on the table and closed the box.  
  
"He's not going to eat dinner if you've been giving him sugary cereals all day," Eddie chuckled as he looked over all the cereal boxes on his kitchen table.   
  
"I haven't!" Buck insisted.   
  
Eddie huffed a laugh and shook his head, still staring at the cereal boxes.   
  
"Honest! They put the toys in their own little bags now, right inside the boxes outside the cereal bag! Don't even have to eat any to get to the prize!" Buck smiled triumphantly as he got to his feet and passed a little race car to Christopher.   
  
"Oh, cool, now I have two!" Christopher exclaimed as he took the green race car from Buck. "Thank you!"   
  
Eddie set Christopher down gently and fixed Buck with a bemused look. "How many boxes of cereal did you buy him?"  
  
Buck shrugged and jammed his hands in his pockets. "I noticed you were out of a couple things so I took Christopher to the grocery store. They were having this massive clearance on cereal and a lot of them happened to have toys inside."  
  
Eddie stared at him silently.  
  
"He just got so excited when he saw they had toys in 'em!"  
  
"So did you, apparently,' Eddie laughed, nodding toward the kitchen table.   
  
Buck laughed and shrugged again.   
  
"Daddy, Daddy, look! I got two race cars and a key chain and a special cereal spoon!" Christopher lined up all his new prizes on the table to show them off. "And we still have more boxes!"  
  
"That's so great, bud," Eddie smiled at his son. "But what are we going to do with all of this cereal?"  
  
"We're gonna eat it, Dad, duh!"  
  
Eddie and Buck doubled over with laughter.  
  
"Do you have homework, bud?" Eddie asked when he could finally catch his breath.   
  
Christopher sighed. "Reading."  
  
"Okay, well, why don't you go get started on that and Buck and I will clean this up and start dinner."  
  
Christopher nodded as he slipped his arms into his crutches and headed for the living room.   
  
"So, am I like banned from watching Christopher now?" Buck winced as he looked over at the cereal boxes.   
  
"No, of course not! Banned from taking him down the cereal aisle of the grocery store, absolutely," Eddie laughed. "But you're good with him and he loves hanging out with you." He began collecting the boxes off the table and gave Buck a small smile.   
  
Eddie knew his son was adorable and a good kid, but it had still surprised him just how much Buck loved spending time with Christopher. He never backed out of watching him or just coming over to visit whenever the kid asked him to. It warmed Eddie's heart to see someone else so intent on making his son feel loved and special.  
  
"Okay, definitely no more cereal aisles," Buck laughed as he filled a pot with water at the sink. "In my defense though, we did get his science homework finished before we went to the store."  
  
"How'd you manage that? He's hated his science homework lately." Eddie unloaded an armful of cereal boxes on the counter.   
  
Buck looked over his shoulder and shot Eddie an elated grin as he set the pot on the stove. "I told him he could pick something out at the store if he got it all done."  
  
Eddie unloaded another armful of cereal boxes to the counter and shook his head. "You let him pick out a few somethings."  
  
"I'm sorry, Eddie. He's just too cute to say no to!"  
  
Eddie fought the urge to walk over behind Buck and wrap his arms around the blonde's waist. "You're fine, Buck, but we should probably work on you getting used to telling Christopher 'no' every once in a while." He opened the pantry and grabbed a box of spaghetti, passing it over to Buck at the stove.   
  
"I want him to like me though," Buck pouted as he set the box of spaghetti next to the stove.   
  
"Buck, he's gonna like you even if you tell him no sometimes," Eddie chuckled as he searched through his pantry for a jar of marinara sauce. "He still tells the kids at school not to worry about tsunamis because 'His Buck' will just come save everyone. Which is something we'll have to talk to him about but, the point is, he loves you, man."  
  
Buck ducked his head bashfully as he turned to grab the salt off the island. "I just want him to know I love him back."  
  
"He knows, Buck, trust me." Eddie set the jar of marinara down by the stove and laid his hand gently on Buck's shoulder. "You spend so much time with him, helping him with his homework and reading to him. You're really amazing with him and I know he values the time you spend with him more than anything you could buy him."  
  
Buck licked his lips and Eddie's eyes darted down, watching the movement. "I just want him to know I'm not going anywhere. I know I wasn't around when I filed that stupid lawsuit and he missed me and I never want to do that to him again."   
  
Eddie immediately pulled Buck to his chest, wrapping him up in a tight hug. "He knows, Buck," he whispered as he rubbed Buck's back soothingly. "He knows."  
  
Buck wrapped his arms around Eddie's hips and rested his head on his shoulder. "Thank you."  
  
"Daddy, can we have green beans with dinner?" Christopher called from the living room.  
  
Eddie chuckled and let go of Buck. "Of course, bud!" he called back. He stepped away from Buck and fixed him with a warm smile. Eddie pulled the freezer open and grabbed a bag of green beans. "Put those in the microwave, would you?" he asked as he tossed the bag to Buck.   
  
Buck put the green beans in the microwave and pressed a couple buttons. "Hey, wash up, Christopher! Dinner will be ready soon!" he called into the living room.  
  
Eddie smiled softly at him as he pulled three plates out of the cabinets.  
  


* * *

  
Buck sniffled and rolled over in his bed as he heard something downstairs in his loft. If he hadn't been so sick, he would have been out of his bed in an instant, but he felt miserable so he simply groaned and shut his eyes. A loud 'thud' made him open his eyes again and he sat up slowly. "If you're here to kill me just don't make a mess," he whined.  
  
Eddie jogged up the stairs and came to a stop at Buck's bedside. He shot a sympathetic smile at Buck when he finally got a good look at him. His eyes were glassy and red rimmed, skin pale, lips chapped. He sounded like he was pinching his nose shut when spoke. Eddie reached out and laid the back of his hand to Buck's forehead. "I'm here to cure you, not kill you," he laughed as he pulled his hand away. Buck had a slight fever but nothing Eddie was too concerned about.   
  
"What are you doing here?" Buck croaked as he laid back on his mattress.   
  
"Abuela made you some soup," Eddie said, tilting his head to the side as he studied Buck.   
  
"You shouldn't have made her do that," Buck insisted as he pulled his comforter up to his chin.   
  
"I didn't," Eddie chuckled. "Christopher told her you were sick when I dropped him off for his visit and she texted me at lunch to let me know she'd made you some soup. Picked it up after my shift and figured I'd come have dinner with you. Make sure you were still alive."  
  
Buck smiled weakly and sat up again slowly. "She's amazing," he sighed.  
  
"I know," Eddie agreed as he reached over and helped Buck out of bed. Buck snatched a blanket off the end of his bed and wrapped it around his shoulders and started heading for the stairs. "Be careful," Eddie called as he scrambled to be by Buck's side as he descended the stairs.   
  
Once they had made it to the first floor, Eddie wrapped an arm around Buck and lead him over to a bar stool and helped him sit. Buck leaned his elbows on the counter, his blanket still wrapped around his shoulders. Eddie lingered a moment to make sure he wouldn't fall over before he walked around to the other side of the counter and started unloading the paper bags he'd brought.   
  
"Here's the soup," Eddie said as he placed two large food containers on the counter. "And," he pulled the other bag closer and reached inside, "I stopped on my way and picked you up some cough drops, some cold meds, and some tea." He turned around and grabbed two bowls out of Buck's kitchen cabinets. Carefully, he poured out two bowlfuls of soup and placed them in the microwave. "I made sure to get the special cold meds for high blood pressure. I know you're off the blood thinners and they said you're fine but I figured better safe than sorry."  
  
Buck grabbed the meds off the counter and inspected them. "I didn't even know they made these," he mumbled as he scanned over the back of the box. He opened the box and popped two pills in his mouth, knocking them back with some water.  
  
"Good thing I did then, huh?" Eddie laughed as he grabbed the bowls out of the microwave. He dropped two spoons into the bowls and slid one across the counter.  
  
Buck hummed appreciatively as he ate a spoonful of the chicken soup. "This is amazing, oh my God." He smiled as he stirred the soup a bit. "No one's ever _made_ me soup before."  
  
Eddie sat down on the barstool beside Buck and reached over, his hand cupping the back of Buck's neck. Buck didn't talk about his family much, outside of Maddie of course, and it made Eddie's heart heavy. Buck was so full of love and ready to help anyone, it saddened Eddie to think he hadn't been shown the same kind of love an attention as he grew up. "This will cure anything that ails you," Eddie said quietly as he ate a spoonful of the soup.  
  
"You didn't have to come all the way over here, do all of this." Buck looked over at Eddie and smiled, fighting the urge to lean over and kiss him.  
  
"No, but I wanted to," Eddie responded, rubbing his thumb over the back of Buck's neck.  
  
Buck gave him a big grin and ate another spoonful of soup. Eddie told him all about his last shift, the woman who's hair had gotten sucked into her pool filter, the kid they'd been able to rescue from a car accident, the old man who'd called because his cat got stuck on his apartment complex's roof. Buck listened intently, laughing as Eddie described trying to coax a terrified elderly cat off a four-story roof.  
  
Eddie cleared their dishes when they were done eating and placed the rest of the soup in the refrigerator. "There should be enough for a couple more days," he explained as he shut the refrigerator. "You want some tea?" he asked, holding up the box of chamomile he'd brought over.   
  
Buck nodded and sniffled. "Yeah."  
  
Eddie nodded once and filled a kettle with some water. He turned the stove top on and let the water boil. He looked over at Buck where he leaned heavily against the counter. "You want to go back to bed?"  
  
"Gotta have my tea first," Buck insisted weakly.  
  
"I can bring the tea up to you," Eddie reasoned. "You look like you're gonna fall off the stool, bud."  
  
Buck shrugged and allowed Eddie to herd him back up the stairs to his bed. Eddie stacked pillows up behind Buck and then leaned him back against them.   
  
"I'll be right back," Eddie said as he tucked Buck's comforter around his legs.  
  
Buck smiled as he watched Eddie disappear down his stairs. He let himself relax back into his pillows and shut his eyes. Sure enough, Eddie was back quickly, handing him a hot mug of chamomile tea.   
  
"Put some honey in it for you, hope that's okay." Eddie stated as he watched to make sure Buck had a good grip on the hot mug.   
  
Buck hummed and took a sip of his tea. "Perfect," he murmured around the rim of the mug. He took another sip and lowered the mug to his lap. "Make sure you tell your Grandma thank you. Seriously, that was so sweet of her. I can't believe she made me soup."  
  
Eddie snatched the blanket off the end of the bed and wrapped it back around Buck's shoulders again. "She cares about you, Buck. We all do," he said quietly as he tucked the blanket around the blonde. "I know you have Maddie, and she loves you very much, but we're all here for you too. I mean, she needs a break every once in a while, right?"  
  
Buck laughed and drank more of his tea. "Especially with the baby coming."  
  
Eddie's eyes went wide and he walked around to the other side of the bed and sat down beside Buck. "Uh, Buck, what baby?"  
  
Buck's eyes went wide. "Oops."   
  
"What baby?"  
  
"Maddie and Chim are going to have a baby." Buck grinned wide and looked over at Eddie. He leaned against the other man and sighed. "I'm gonna be an Uncle!"  
  
"Okay, well when Maddie finds out you're the one who blabbed I'm going to tell her not to be too mad cause you were sick and on cold meds when you did it." Eddie chuckled, reaching over and running his hand through Buck's hair. "Although, I don't know how much that's going to sway Chimney."  
  
"Uhh," Buck whined, setting his empty mug on his nightstand. "Can't we just pretend I never said anything?"  
  
"Oh, absolutely not," Eddie laughed. "I cannot wait to tease Chimney about his 'massive secret' during our next shift and watch him try to keep Hen and Bobby at bay."  
  
"You're terrible," Buck laughed as he sunk back farther into his pillows. "And also an angel 'cause you brought me all this stuff." He freed his arm from his blanket cocoon and reached over, taking Eddie's hand in his. "Thank you, again," he said through a yawn.  
  
"Of course," Eddie mumbled, squeezing Buck's hand. He looked over and shook his head as he discovered Buck had already fallen asleep. Slowly, Eddie slipped his hand from Buck's and got up off the bed. He leaned over and tucked Buck in again and, just to check his temperature Eddie reasoned, he pressed a soft kiss to Buck's temple.   
  
Buck woke the next afternoon and found a small box of donuts and a hand written 'get well' note from Christopher on his kitchen counter. He smiled as he looked over the colorful drawing in his card and plucked a donut out of the box.  
  


* * *

  
Eddie walked into his house and shut the front door as quietly as he could. He'd finished his therapy session, hit the gym afterward, and by the time he was walking back to his truck the sun had already set. It was well past Christopher's bedtime when he walked through the front door.   
  
Buck smiled and waved at Eddie as he walked into his living room. Eddie smiled back, coming to a stop just inside the archway of the living room. He watched Buck for a moment. He was so comfortable at Eddie's house, it never seemed odd for him to come home and find Buck there. He would come over to watch Christopher overnight when he could so Carla could go home. He'd come over on his days off to spend time with Eddie and Christopher playing video games, helping clean the hamster's cage, just about anything Christopher wanted or needed to do. He'd even helped out with Christopher's last science project. It made Eddie's heart flutter if he thought about all of it for too long.   
  
"You okay?" Buck asked quietly.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, just tired," Eddie nodded as he walked over to the couch. He plopped down inelegantly next to Buck and sighed. "Long day."  
  
Buck paused the video game he was playing and set the controller on the coffee table. "Christopher got dinner, some grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and cooked carrots, and he finished all his English homework. There's a plate of leftovers in the fridge for you if you want."  
  
Eddie wanted to lean over and press a kiss to Buck's temple. "Thank you," he said instead.   
  
Buck smiled and shook his head. "Honestly, Carla did most of the cooking so she should get the thanks. I can take full credit for the mashed potatoes though."  
  
Eddie laughed as he leaned back and rested his head against the back of the couch. "Was he okay at bed time?"  
  
"Yeah," Buck reassured. "I had to read him a couple different stories before he fell asleep but he was fine."  
  
Eddie nodded and closed his eyes.  
  
"You want your dinner?" Buck asked as he scooted forward on the couch.  
  
"Not right now."  
  
"You want a beer?"  
  
Eddie sat up and patted Buck on the knee. "I can get my own beer, Buck." He pried himself off the couch and headed for the kitchen. "You want one?" he asked before he left the living room.  
  
"Sure."  
  
Eddie flicked the light on in the kitchen and spotted a bright red binder on his counter. He didn't recognize it as one of Christopher's and he walked closer, inspecting it. ' _Baby Shower_ ' was written in bold, black letters across the front of the binder. Eddie grabbed two beers out of the fridge and snagged the binder off the counter.   
  
"What's this?" Eddie asked as he slid the binder onto the coffee table in front of Buck.   
  
"I'm planning Maddie's baby shower!" Buck beamed as he took a beer from Eddie.   
  
"Oh, God," Eddie exhaled as he set down next to Buck once more.   
  
"Hey! It's gonna be awesome!"  
  
"She's not having a 'gender reveal' too is she?"  
  
"Ew, no," Buck laughed as he leaned back on the couch. "Atehna and Karen are helping me plan the shower. It's gonna be great. We already have the theme picked out and we know where we're getting the cake!"  
  
"What's the theme?" Eddie took a swig of his beer and smirked at Buck.  
  
"It's a surprise. You'll just have to wait until the big day to find out," Buck smirked back.  
  
"I didn't think I'd be invited," Eddie admitted.   
  
Buck's eyes went wide and he set his beer on the coffee table. "Why wouldn't you and Christopher be invited?"  
  
"I don't know, I guess I just thought it would be more for Maddie's friends and stuff." Eddie shrugged and drained half his beer in one go.   
  
"You're friends with Maddie!"  
  
"I'm friends with Maddie's little brother."  
  
Buck laughed and turned his head to look at Eddie. "Same thing." He smiled and let his knee fall to the side a bit to rest against Eddie's. "How was... everything today?" he asked quietly.   
  
Eddie finished his beer and deposited the empty bottle on the coffee table. He knew Buck was still worried about him since his whole 'stuck in a well' incident. "It was fine," Eddie sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.  
  
Buck scooted over on the couch gently and pressed his shoulder to Eddie's. "You don't have to talk about it but you know, if you want to, I'm always here." He gave Eddie a soft smile.  
  
Eddie slumped down farther on the couch and rested his head on Buck's shoulder. "I was so scared I was going to lose everything, that I wouldn't make it out. I panicked thinking that I had survived two deployments into a literal war zone just to come back and drown. And Christopher -- " he sighed, shutting his eyes.   
  
Buck carefully wound his arm around Eddie's shoulders and squeezed gently. "Hey, hey, you made it. You made it back to Christopher. You're here. You made it home."  
  
Eddie smiled to himself. Buck was right, he had made it home, he'd come back to Christopher and Buck. That was all that mattered. He shifted slightly and turned himself so that he was closer to Buck, lying on his side pressed against the blonde. "Thank you for coming by and having dinner with Christopher tonight," Eddie whispered, his breath warm against the soft flesh of Buck's throat.  
  
"Like there's anywhere else I'd rather be than here with you and Christopher," Buck said, resting his head against Eddie's. He felt Eddie's breathing slow and even out, and Buck shut his eyes, a gentle smile on his face.  
  
The sun was bright when Carla unlocked the front door and walked inside the Diaz house. As she strolled into the living room, the 'good morning' she was just about to call out through the house died in her throat. Eddie was tucked against Buck's side on the couch, Buck's arm around his shoulders, both men snoring softly. Carla smiled to herself and shook her head. "Better make a whole pot of coffee then," she chuckled as she made her way to the kitchen.  
  


* * *

  
The drawing hung prominently in the middle of the refrigerator door. Eddie smiled at it every time he walked into the kitchen. Christopher had been so excited when he'd come home from school with it. In happy, bright colors he'd drawn himself standing between Eddie and Buck in their uniforms, a wide smile on his face as he held their hands, a fire truck off in the backgroud. The words ' _My Family_ ' were written in red crayon across the bottom. Eddie had nearly teared up when Christopher had presented it to him. It had been displayed on the refrigerator since.  
  
The week flew by, and before he knew it Eddie found himself with a rare weekend off. His Aunt had insisted Christopher spend the weekend with her so Eddie could get some things done around the house and get plenty of rest. He couldn't argue when Christopher had agreed excitedly, looking forward to an overnight trip.   
  
Eddie sat on his couch and looked about his newly-tidied living room. The house was definitely cleaner than it had been in recent memory, but he missed his son's cheerful laughter filling the house. It was only noon but he had no idea what to do with his time so, with a shrug, Eddie stretched out on his couch and decided a nap sounded good.   
  
It was significantly darker than Eddie remembered when he woke up, a loud banging sound reverberating through his living room. He rolled over on the couch and squinted through the darkness. A muffled voice seemed to be coming from the porch. Immediately, Eddie was off the couch and heading for the front door.   
  
"Okay, okay," Eddie called as he got closer to the door and pulled it open. Buck's worried face was the first thing he saw. He blinked rapidly and squinted at the blonde. "What's going on, is everything okay?"  
  
Buck let out a relieved sigh and grasped Eddie's shoulders. "It is now, yeah"  
  
Eddie gave him a confused look, still half asleep and unsure what exactly was going on.   
  
"I've been trying to reach you for like four hours, man." Buck pulled his phone out of his pocket and brought up his call log, waving it at Eddie. "Where's Christopher?"  
  
"He's at my Tía's for the weekend," Eddie yawned. "I cleaned the house and then fell asleep on the couch. Must have been more tired than I realized. Sorry." Eddie ran a hand through his hair and winced. "You wanna come in, have a beer?"  
  
"Yeah, sure." Buck nodded as he slipped past Eddie and into the house.   
  
Eddie smirked and shook his head as he followed Buck into his own house. "You know where they are," he called as Buck disappeared into the kitchen.   
  
The light flicked on in the kitchen, Buck's footsteps trailed across the tile, and then there was a small intake of breath. Eddie walked faster and peeked inside the kitchen to see what had happened.  
  
Buck stood in the kitchen, unmoving, as he studied the drawing on the refrigerator door. He took a few small steps and reached out, running his hand over the paper. Carefully, he moved a few magnets and took the drawing off the fridge. A shuffling sound behind him drew Buck's attention and he turned around and found Eddie leaning in the archway, a small smile on his face.   
  
"When did he draw this?" Buck asked, holding up the drawing.  
  
"Few days ago at school," Eddie responded.  
  
Buck turned the drawing around and inspected it again. He smiled wide, reading the words ' _My Family_ ' over and over.   
  
"This is great," Buck marveled as he stared at the drawing.   
  
"Yeah," Eddie agreed as he walked over and peeked at the drawing. "He was really proud of it, has 'His Buck' in it and everything." He smiled and slipped his hands in his pockets. "Had to hang it on the fridge."  
  
Buck turned around and hung the drawing back on the refrigerator. He stared at it for a minute and felt an odd sense of unease wash over him. He turned to faced Eddie and took a deep breath. "Are you uncomfortable with Christopher seeing me as part of your family? Cause I can come around less if it's -- "  
  
Eddie wrapped Buck up in a hug so fast the blonde's head spun. "No, no, I have the opposite of a problem with it," Eddie laughed nervously. He leaned back so he could look Buck in the eye as he spoke. Which may have been a mistake, as he seemed to get lost for a moment in Buck's blue gaze. He cleared his throat and tried again.  
  
"You treat Christopher so well, you care for him so much, it really means a lot to me. So many people don't know how to react to him, how to help him navigate the world, but you do. You see him." Eddie reached up and placed a shaky hand on Buck's cheek. "I don't know that I would have stayed in L.A. if it weren't for you. Now that you're in my life, I don't know what I'd do without you. And not just because you love Christopher so much. You're an amazing person, Buck. You're important to me."  
  
Buck's eyes watered and he took a deep breath. "I don't know what I'd do without you either. You and Christopher, you're everything to me." He gave Eddie a shy smile, looking at him through his long lashes. "I'm so lucky that you let me be in your lives," he whispered.  
  
"Evan," Eddie breathed as he leaned his forehead against Buck's. "I _want_ you to be part of our family."  
  
Buck leaned in and slowly, gently, pressed his lips to Eddie's. Eddie tugged Buck closer and let out a soft moan. Buck's hands wandered up Eddie's torso, one resting against Eddie's throat, the other cupping the back of his head. He parted his lips and deepened the kiss as Eddie fisted his hand in the back of his shirt.   
  
Buck leaned back and took a steadying breath. "Are you sure you wanna -- "  
  
"Yes," Eddie answered immediately.  
  
"You didn't let me finish," Buck laughed quietly. "Are you sure you wanna make out in your kitchen?"  
  
Eddie chuckled and looked around the room. "Good point."  
  
"I mean we totally can, if you want, I just feel like the kitchen is a room you work up to but if -- "  
  
Eddie let go of Buck and started heading out of the kitchen. Buck pouted. "Are you coming?" Eddie called, laughing.   
  
Buck grinned eagerly and quickly caught up as Eddie made his way to the the living room.  
  
Buck woke the next morning and smiled. Eddie slept wedged between him and the couch, his arm slung over Buck's waist. Sleepily, Buck rubbed his eyes and yawned. He looked around slowly and began to remember the night before. He and Eddie had fooled around on the couch a bit, apparently ditching their shirts and jeans at some point, until they'd gotten too tired to do much else and had fallen asleep together.   
  
Eddie seemed to feel Buck shift in his arms and he woke up slowly, pressing a gentle kiss to Buck's temple. "Good morning," he whispered, a relaxed smile on his face. He let his eyes drift closed for a moment as he took a deep breath, the smell of Buck's cologne overwhelming his senses. He ran his hand up Buck's chest and rested it over his heart. He was about to press a soft kiss to Buck's neck when he heard a strange buzzing sound. Confused, Eddie lifted his head off the couch and looked around the living room.  
  
Buck scrambled after a moment and rolled over, snatching his cell phone off the coffee table. He sighed deeply as he unlocked his phone and checked his notifications. "I was supposed to go over to Maddie and Chimney's new house this morning to help Chim paint the nursery." His phone buzzed again in his hands as he spoke. "I am very late," he sighed again.   
  
Eddie chuckled and rubbed Buck's chest. "I'll make some coffee."  
  
"What do I tell Maddie?" Buck asked, slightly panicked.  
  
Eddie leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to Buck's lips. "Tell her whatever you want," he murmured against Buck's lips.  
  
"Then I guess you might as well come along," Buck smiled as he pressed a quick kiss to Eddie's lips before sitting up and climbing off the couch.   
  
Eddie laughed and rolled his eyes, forcing himself off the couch and into the kitchen to start the coffee.

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from Dan Auerbach's "Never In My Wildest Dreams" cause it just works so well for these two.
> 
> I binge-watched the whole series one weekend and then this just sort of... happened. Blame all the time I have on my hands now with quarantine. Fluff as always cause I am incapable of writing literally anything else, ever. First thing I've ever written for this pairing so I really hope it's at least decent!
> 
> [tumblr](https://imwritesometimes.tumblr.com/)


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